How Does A Winch Work? Things You Need To Know

Are you fascinated to off-road driving? Have you ever worked in theater backstage or been a part of an action movie team? If you have, then you must have seen the use of a winch.

If you are interested in rough terrain driving, know that you’ll need it very soon. Therefore, you have to know its working component as well as the working process.

Winches can be hand controlled or electrically operated. Nowadays the latter is mostly in use. Following is the portrayal of how the winch functions and how to work with it.

How Does A Winch Work?

Each of the part plays its respective role for a definitive winch work.

1. The Cable

It’s usually a steel wire or a synthetic wire. The tension on it pulls your car to the safe surface.

2. The Motor

An electric winch includes an electric motor. A magnet is responsible for the current generation. The whole mechanism relies upon the law that the two poles of a magnet repulse each other.

As a result, charge induces on these two poles. This resisting force also turns the winch.

An electrical framework is necessary to convey a considerable measure of charges.

3. The Drum

It’s of solid cylindrical shape where the wires wrapped around. While pulling the object towards the anchor point, the cable winds back to the drum. I'll discuss the anchor point later.

4. The Gear Trains

Not every winch includes gears. They allow the winch to pull heavier loads. They are as simple as bike gears. An electrically operated small gear turns a much larger gear.

For winding up heavier weights, you can use winches with elliptical gears or worm gears. In elliptical assembly, the smaller gear goes around the larger one.

It results in making it easier to pull heavier weight. On the other hand, worm gears have a different system.

5. Power

The power can be of AC or DC type. ATV winches are normally DC powered.

"AC" stands for Alternating Current. The AC powered winches need a wall outlet from where they get power. Their uses are limited.

In the case of a truck or other ordinary vehicle pulling, DC powered winches are enough.

“DC” stands for Direct Current. You may know batteries are the source of DC power. As winches don’t use a lot of power, you can hook it up to your vehicle battery.

Make sure that your car is off at that time. Otherwise, your winch may drain your battery completely.

How To Use A Winch- Working Procedure

Got the whole mechanism clearly? Now it’s time to know how to get your work done with it.

Let’s envision a circumstance. You were driving off roads when your car got stuck in a muddy soil. Now you have to take it on the safe land over a little slope. Following is the step by step guideline which you have to follow.

1. Choose An Anchor Point

Choosing an anchor point is the first thing to do. It’s an object around which you’ll fasten the wire. Keep it in mind that it must be in a straight line connecting the recovery point. Recovery point refers to the point where your car's fallen in trouble.

An anchor point can be any stationary object. It’s better if you find natural objects like a big woody tree, an enormous rock and so on.

In case you don't find anything around you, you have to create one. Use another vehicle or a significantly covered tire as a stay point.

Furthermore, no second object should lie in between the recovery and anchor point.

2. Establish A Winch Line

It’s another key point. Select a route to which you desire to draw the wire line. It’s a V-shaped line starting from the winch to anchor point and ends at the recovery point.

Use another vehicle from where you’ll be operating the winch.

3. Attach The Remote

Connect it to the designated port. Stretch the remote cord in a safe route inside the vehicle. It diminishes the risk that, the cord doesn't split.

4. Unwind The Cable

Now by using the remote, release some cable and pull it towards the anchor point. Watch out if there is any trunk, branches or other obstructions through the line.

If any, remove it immediately.Your cable shouldn't tangle with them.

5. Attach A Solid Pulling Structure

It can be a metal chain. Connect one end to your car. Then loop the other end around the anchor point at the lowest possible portion.

6. Hook The Cable With The Chain

Now pull the vehicle backward so that it creates a slight tension on the line. Remember, the pulling should be in a straight line, not at an angle.

7. And Finally, Start Winching

If the whole arrangement looks great, then start winching. Tow the cable back to the winch using the remote control. Get someone inside your car to run its engine.

Continue towing until it’s on a plain surface and able to run on its engine power.

Things To Be Noted

Following are the things you need to take care of while working.

Use safety gloves. Don’t touch the metal cable bare hand. Also, don’t run your hand along the wire even with gloves. The wire may get frayed.

Before you start winching, get everyone out of the way to avoid any unwanted occurrence.

Check whether the winch is overloaded or set up in the wrong course of action. An erroneous arrangement can lead to a serious accident.

Double check every connection before winching. It’s the most important thing to remember.

Don’t work with a damaged cable. If it is worn out, then change it first. Because of a damaged cable, your entire effort can go in vain.

Remove mud from over your tires. Use shovel to do this.

After you stretch the wire to the tree, check if there’re at least three full rounds of cable around the drum. It’s necessary for the cable so that it can carry the applied load. If it is short, then use an extension cable.

If your object is a tree, use rubber mat before wrapping the chain around it to protect its bark.

Final Thoughts

It may seem overwhelming to use a winch with too many technical words. But let me guarantee you, it’s not really.

Obviously, it’s not as easy as to run a lawn roller in your yard. But it's neither a mammoth task. All you need is to know the science behind it and the process and just work accordingly. I think this article serves you this purpose appropriately.

Also, owning a machine doesn't make you an expert unless you know how to work with it. Again, you can’t ride a bicycle simply knowing,

how to ride on it. You have to apply the book knowledge in practical. Just give a trial with your winch today so that you can use it at the time you need.

Things To Know Before Choosing An ATV Winch

If you are considering buying an ATV Winch and you have no idea of how to go about it, count yourself lucky for coming in contact with this write-up. There are so many ATV Winch in the market from several companies which claim to be the best in performance. This is why if you may end up with the wrong type if you are not guided properly.

You may ask what good does this ATV Winch do? Well, this is a device that serves numerous purposes such as.

1. Pulling: an ATV device can be used to pull out vehicles or objects that stuck. With the ATV device, you don't need a plowing or towing machine. All you will need is to connect your ATV Winch properly to the object you want to pull and "voilà" the deed is done without any help from you.

2. Towing: the ATV Winch is your best handyman when you want to get yourself or somebody else out of an ugly situation. It has been proven to tow heavy loads no matter the weight of the load.

3. Clearing: this device is well-known to be helpful during the winter months. You can use it to clear out the snows on your drive-away or on the streets effectively. All you will need is to attach a snow plow and drive your ATV Winch around to clear out all the snow without stress.

This is the reason, you should carefully and cautiously choose the best one in the market that will serve these purposes.

Consider the following;

First of all, you should check the rated line pull for that particular ATV Winch. This is to make sure of the biggest weight the device can pull. There is no need to buy the one that will not serve your pulling purposes. Is there?

Another thing you should consider is the line speed. This is all about the winching speed of the ATV. In this case, you have two options to choose from.

You can go for planetary that is fuller and faster in operation or you can decide to purchase the worm. The worm operates only on two gears making it a bit slow than the other one but with less heat.

​Consider the cable material that is used in the build-up of the ATV Winch as well. Make sure that the one you want to purchase is built with synthetic cable because it is the best to give you strength, safety, and weight lifting. But if you want easy maintenance and high heat endurance, you should go for metal cables.

​Check the safety measures that are included in the ATV Winch. Buy the one that has been tested and approved by the highest authority.

​Another important factor to look into is the product reviews from other people who have used it.

The last but not the least of things to consider before buying an ATV Winch is the Price. As you are checking the price, bear in mind that those products built with high-quality materials tend to be a bit on the expensive side. Therefore, do not compromise because of price and get the one that you will regret.

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